Cats go wild while staying at home: First indication and behavioral assessment of potential European wildcat-hybrids living as companion animals

IF 2 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Applied Animal Behaviour Science Pub Date : 2025-08-30 DOI:10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106806

Péter Pongrácz , Csenge Anna Lugosi , Petra Anett Kovács , József Lanszki

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Populations of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris) are threatened across the continent. Their widespread hybridization with domestic cats (Felis catus) represents a major threat. It is worrisome that some hybrids can basically function in the same ecological niche as wildcats do. However, hybrid cats may represent a genetic and morphological spectrum, and it is unknown whether introgression of wildcat genes could result in hybrids living unnoticed as companion animals. We hypothesized that in Hungary, where the wildcat has a slowly spreading population, their likely hybridization with rural domestic cats, resulted in hybrids living under human care. We interviewed cat owners about the morphology and behavior of their cats in a large-scale citizen-science survey. We objectively scored the cats’ apparent hybrid characteristics from the submitted photographs. Cats with the highest hybrid-category represented 18 % of the sample. Importantly, these cats were thought to be the least dependent on human caretaking (P = 0.020) and greeted other cats least often with their ‘tail-up’ (P = 0.018). Tabby-colored cats reportedly wandered farther from the house (P = 0.009) and guarded their food more fiercely (P = 0.003) than non-tabby cats. The wide spatial distribution of hybrid-looking cats indicates that the potential hybrids became an organic part of the Hungarian companion cat population. This is the first indication that wildcat hybrids may be spontaneously born in anthropogenic environment, and despite their markedly different behavior, they can successfully thrive as companions. These results may bear great importance when we consider the status and future of the threatened wildcats in densely inhabited areas.

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猫在家里变野：作为伴侣动物生活的潜在欧洲野猫杂交的第一个迹象和行为评估

欧洲野猫（Felis silvestris）的种群在整个大陆都受到威胁。它们与家猫（Felis catus）的广泛杂交是一个主要威胁。令人担忧的是，一些杂交品种基本上可以在与野猫相同的生态位中发挥作用。然而，杂交猫可能代表了一种遗传和形态谱，并且尚不清楚野猫基因的渗入是否会导致杂交猫作为伴侣动物而不被注意地生活。我们假设，在匈牙利，野猫的数量缓慢扩散，它们可能与农村家猫杂交，导致在人类照顾下生活的杂交猫。我们在一项大规模的公民科学调查中就猫的形态和行为采访了猫主人。我们从提交的照片中客观地对猫的明显杂交特征进行评分。混合类别最高的猫占样本的18% %。重要的是，这些猫被认为是最不依赖人类照顾的（P = 0.020），并且最不经常用“尾巴翘起来”来问候其他猫（P = 0.018）。据报道，与非虎斑猫相比，虎斑猫离家更远（P = 0.009），对食物的保护也更激烈（P = 0.003）。杂交猫的广泛空间分布表明，潜在的杂交猫成为匈牙利伴侣猫种群的有机组成部分。这是第一个表明野猫杂交可能在人为环境中自发产生的迹象，尽管它们的行为明显不同，但它们可以作为伴侣成功地茁壮成长。这些结果对我们考虑人口稠密地区受威胁野猫的现状和未来具有重要意义。

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来源期刊

Applied Animal Behaviour Science 农林科学-行为科学

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

21.70%

发文量

191

审稿时长

18.1 weeks

期刊介绍： This journal publishes relevant information on the behaviour of domesticated and utilized animals. Topics covered include: -Behaviour of farm, zoo and laboratory animals in relation to animal management and welfare -Behaviour of companion animals in relation to behavioural problems, for example, in relation to the training of dogs for different purposes, in relation to behavioural problems -Studies of the behaviour of wild animals when these studies are relevant from an applied perspective, for example in relation to wildlife management, pest management or nature conservation -Methodological studies within relevant fields The principal subjects are farm, companion and laboratory animals, including, of course, poultry. The journal also deals with the following animal subjects: -Those involved in any farming system, e.g. deer, rabbits and fur-bearing animals -Those in ANY form of confinement, e.g. zoos, safari parks and other forms of display -Feral animals, and any animal species which impinge on farming operations, e.g. as causes of loss or damage -Species used for hunting, recreation etc. may also be considered as acceptable subjects in some instances -Laboratory animals, if the material relates to their behavioural requirements